2002 Knight remove compartment door

[Jim McGarvie]

I damaged the curb side forward door, and am trying to remove it to take it to a body shop. I believe I need to remove the belt line part way to slide the door out forward. I have removed the first several screws (all rusty, most broke; will replace with SS) and can pry the top of the belt away from the body (see photo), but the bottom seems to be secured and I can't see by what. Anyone have a clue?

  

[jacwjames]

Not sure on the way your might come off. 

On mine the hinge is two parts, one is mounted to the side of the coach and the other is the channel on the top of the door.  The door will slide across the top one.  I just had to remove the rear 3 doors on the drivers side.  Two are taller and are just below the belt lint.  Had to take the gas struts loose to remove the doors.  On mine there was a rivet that holds the door from sliding back, had to drill out the rivet and those two doors slide back, it is a tight fit I have to hold my hand on the top back portions to that I don't accidently scratch the side of the coach.  The third door was the last one under the LR drivers side slide.  It also had a rivet that had to be removed and then just slide it back. 

I just looked at the passenger slide where I don't have a slide, I believe I could remove the door without fooling with belt line.  Just have to tip the door up high enough to that it is basically perpendicular to the coach and slide it off the upper hinge portion, just make sure not to scratch the side of the coach.  

Try above and if you have a problem post back. 

 

[Jim McGarvie]

59 minutes ago, jacwjames said:

Not sure on the way your might come off. 

On mine the hinge is two parts, one is mounted to the side of the coach and the other is the channel on the top of the door.  The door will slide across the top one.  I just had to remove the rear 3 doors on the drivers side.  Two are taller and are just below the belt lint.  Had to take the gas struts loose to remove the doors.  On mine there was a rivet that holds the door from sliding back, had to drill out the rivet and those two doors slide back, it is a tight fit I have to hold my hand on the top back portions to that I don't accidently scratch the side of the coach.  The third door was the last one under the LR drivers side slide.  It also had a rivet that had to be removed and then just slide it back. 

I just looked at the passenger slide where I don't have a slide, I believe I could remove the door without fooling with belt line.  Just have to tip the door up high enough to that it is basically perpendicular to the coach and slide it off the upper hinge portion, just make sure not to scratch the side of the coach.  

Try above and if you have a problem post back. 

 

 Your tip got me on the right track, Jim. In my case, with my wife's help, we had to get the door nearly vertical and then with hard hits with a rubber mallet I was able to budge it about 1/8" each hit. By spraying WD-40 into the hinge track we were eventually able to slide the door out the forward end of the belt line.

You are right, I wouldn't have had to mess with the belt line at all. But I'm happy for the opportunity to replace those rusty screws with new SS screws and new caulking.

Thanks much for the tip!

 

[jacwjames]

Glad you got it.  A good cleaning of the two hinge parts and lubrication will go a long ways to make it easier to move them on/off. 

[diplomat don]

With your new experience of the rusted and perhaps broken screws on the beltline I would recommend looking further as the rest may be badly rusted as well, as that was my experience with my former 2001 Diplomat. Good luck, Don.

[Jim McGarvie]

3 hours ago, diplomat don said:

With your new experience of the rusted and perhaps broken screws on the beltline I would recommend looking further as the rest may be badly rusted as well, as that was my experience with my former 2001 Diplomat. Good luck, Don.

I certainly will! Thanks Don.

[jacwjames]

I had a leak in my top belt line where the rear cap mated to the roof, there was a buldge and the caulk failed.  The leak ultimately causes s large delamination area.  All the screws going down the rear vertical piece of the aluminum extrusion were rusted badly some of them completely rusted off. 

I'd inspect all the caulk on the belt molding!!  There was a recent video posted on how to do this.

[Jim McGarvie]

18 minutes ago, jacwjames said:

I had a leak in my top belt line where the rear cap mated to the roof, there was a buldge and the caulk failed.  The leak ultimately causes s large delamination area.  All the screws going down the rear vertical piece of the aluminum extrusion were rusted badly some of them completely rusted off. 

I'd inspect all the caulk on the belt molding!!  There was a recent video posted on how to do this.

Thanks Jim. Yes, I'll be replacing all the screws and all the caulk. And I've watched the video.